


On the Origin of Cat Noire

by Norickayer



Series: Cat Noire is a Useless Lesbian [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Cat Noire is a useless lesbian, Gen, Gender Dysphoria, Genderqueer Character, Origin Story, Trans Female Character, but this installment is gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:55:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23207344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Norickayer/pseuds/Norickayer
Summary: Maybe it did start with Stoneheart after all, because who’s to say if this new hero introduced themself as Cat Noir, or as Cat Noire?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Cat Noire is a Useless Lesbian [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668505
Comments: 1
Kudos: 77





	On the Origin of Cat Noire

Maybe it did start with Stoneheart after all, because who’s to say if this new hero introduced themself as Cat Noir, or Cat Noire?

Certainly the media never caught on. There were no interviews that first night, and human memory is changeable, fragile.

But for the teen behind the mask, Cat Noire was not born until nearly a week later.

“Claws in!”

The teenager who had just begun to think of themself as Adrienne eyed their reflection. Being a model, they were no stranger to scrutinizing their looks, but this was somewhat different.

Their eyes never left the mirror, but they directed their voice to a small, floating black creature hovering near the mini-fridge.

“Did you design my costume?”

“You should be more concerned with your diet than your image, take it from me kid,” The black, cat-like qwami said casually.

“Plagg!” Adrienne pleaded.

Plagg snorted in amusement. “I don’t design. Your costume is based on a general Black Cat theme, and your subconscious desires. You think all my holders end up with a bell and a catsuit?”

Adrienne considered this. Their fingers ran across the thin material of their t-shirt, more out of nervous energy than concern for the fabric.

“Can I change it?”

This time, the qwami sighed. “I guess, if you insist.”

“Thanks Plagg!”

“Don’t go crazy, it takes energy to do this.”

Adrienne’s smile was undimmed. “I’ve just got a few tweaks in mind…”

\--- --- --- --- --

For good or ill, Adrienne didn’t have to wait long to debut their new costume. As they raced across the rooftops of Pairs, most of their worry was for the safety of the citizens, Ladybug, and the akumatized victim.

But some small part of their mind had other concerns, as well.

_What will Ladybug say if she notices I’ve changed?_

_Will be know what I am? Will she hate me? Will she think I’m disgusting?_

_What if she_ doesn’t _notice?_

These thoughts were buried under others once the fight began, of course. Trajectories, foot placement, and cat puns took precedence in the heat of the moment.

Ladybug didn’t notice immediately. She was a very perceptive hero when the need arose, but her focus was channeled into situational awareness and planning at the moment, rather than fashion sense.

Much, much later, once Adrienne meets the girl behind the red and black mask, Adrienne will find this ironic.

As self-conscious as Adrienne could be, they had a lot of practice ignoring that feeling and putting on a show. So the flipped and jumped, punned and bantered, burying their fear and self-consciousness deep down.

Until-

“Pound it!” Ladybug yelled, elated at a win against an akuma.

When her partner didn’t reciprocate her fistbump, she finally, _finally_ turned her focus from her enemy onto her fellow superhero.

She gasped.

Cat Noire winced. “Ladybug-“

“Oh my gosh, I am _so_ sorry!”

Green cat eyes stared, nonplussed, at the red hero.

“You’re sorry?”

“All this time, I didn’t realize-“ One of Ladybug’s gloved hands touched her lips in dismay. “That you were Cat _Noire_!”

The confusion didn’t lift. After all, Noir and Noire are identical in spoken French.

“My lady, I still don’t-“

Ladybug flapped her hands in frustration, a move that was so un-Ladybug that Cat Noire was shocked into silence.

“I mean-“ Ladybug began, before stopping herself. Her dark brows furrowed as she searched for the right words.

Cat Noire looked on in silence bemusement.

“I’m sorry, kitty. This whole week we’ve worked together- with your short hair and your costume- I didn’t realize you were a girl,” Ladybug admitted. “With the flirting, I assumed- and I must not have looked very close-I’m so sorry for making assumptions. I should have known better!”

A smile began to blossom on Cat Noire’s face. It started in their eyes, bright green somehow shining even brighter, then moved to their lips, and before long Cat Noire was beaming, bigger and wider than they ever had before.

“Thank you!” they purred.

Now it was Ladybug’s turn to be confused.

“Uh-“

Three beeps interrupted the moment.

With an alarmed squeak, Ladybug was dashing off to protect her secret identity, but Cat Noire was unfazed.

The costume changes worked. They were subtle, just some padding on the chest and little changes to the cut of the catsuit and the shape of the mask, but it was enough.

Even if Ladybug hadn’t noticed that night, the changes would have been worth it just for the security and comfort they gave Adrienne.

But now, knowing that Ladybug had noticed? She might not know Adrienne under the mask, but now she knew Adrienne better than anyone else in the world. She might not know that Cat Noire was trans, but she recognized the feminine person that Adrienne really was, without their public persona as “Adrien Agreste” to get in the way.

_I never want to stop being Cat Noire_ , Adrienne thought.


End file.
